Authorities say a section of the road was dislodged and was sticking up, puncturing the tires on several cars.
The protruding portion, measuring about 1 foot by 2 feet, made it hard for some drivers to see and avoid.
The California Highway Patrol said the number of drivers affected was not known because some left without filing a report. They also said they think the problem was probably caused by a large truck, not from the road cracking in the heat.
That section of road was coned off.
